ASU Baseball completes mid-week sweep of Youngstown State

The Alabama State baseball team completed a
two-game sweep of Youngstown State with an 8-3 win over the Penguins Wednesday
night at the Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

Freshmen Drake Hloska and Patrick Coffin combined to
scatter seven hits and three runs over six innings, while positions 5-9 in the
Hornets' lineup combined for seven of Alabama State's 10 hits, scoring five
times and driving in seven runs.

"I was very satisfied with the effort on the mound from
Drake in his first collegiate start," head coach Mervyl Melendez said. "I
thought he did a pretty good job, giving up two runs in three innings, and
threw the ball well. We knew Youngstown State's approach at the plate was going
to be better, so Drake and Patrick, having back-to-back freshmen on the mound,
did a good job and we're happy about that."

Trailing 1-0 in the second inning, Emmanuel Marrero was hit
by a pitch with one out. After an infield single by Marcus Swint, Branden
Castro, who tied a career-high with three hits, singled to right field, scoring
Marrero. After Castro advanced to second on a wild pitch, Dexter Price's
sacrifice fly scored Swint and moved Castro to third. Einar Muniz' single up
the middle on a 1-2 pitch scored Castro to give the Hornets a 3-1 lead.

Tied at 3-3 in the sixth, Alabama State regained the lead
for good. Cesar Rivera singled through the left side to leadoff the inning and
advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Waldyvan Estrada reached on an error
and advanced to second on a wild pitch, Marrero was hit by a pitch to load the
bases. Rivera then scored on a fielder's choice, followed by an RBI single by
Castro, scoring Marrero. Swint, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a
throwing error for a 6-3 ASU lead.

The Hornets added a pair of runs in the seventh on two-out,
two-run double by Marrero.

"We picked our spots tonight to have three good offensive
innings," Melendez said. "It was a very good job by the bottom of the lineup.
One at bat that stands out was Einar's hit up the middle (an RBI single in the
second inning) with two outs. It was a productive at bat. It was good see
Branden get three hits and a pair of RBI to set the tone for us. He'd been
struggling a bit at the plate, but I think he's finding his groove now."

Alabama State begins Southwestern Athletic Conference play
at home this weekend against Mississippi Valley State in a pair of
doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday. First pitch each day is at 1 p.m. at the
Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

Players from the United States pose for the camera before the semifinal round of the women's hockey game against Finland at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea, Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. (Matt Slocum/Pool Photo via AP)

Team USA won the first meeting between the neighboring nations at the 1998 Winter Olympics. The Canucks have won every other meeting.